How to Change the Cabin Air Filter in a 97-01 CR-V

[kidflavor]

Heck yea! It was actually pretty cool to see how dirty it was. I mean I've been reading up on this thread and been meaning to do it, but I had no idea it was that bad. I was more occupied with my engine and suspension than anything else with the CRV. Each time I would stick the vacuum in there it would suck up more junk. There weird thing is wondering how old those pine needles and bugs were? Obviously the cabin has a cleaner smell to it now too. I imagine my air fresheners will last longer now.

[liquidfuel88]

Originally Posted by kidflavor

I just want to give props to Liquidfuel once again. The pictures for the filter replacement were perfect. Here's some shots of my dirty filter. I'm guessing it wasn't changed since day one sometime in 1997.

Holy crapola!

I think you win the award for "Dirtiest Cabin Air Filter!"

Props don't go to me. They go to dc9mm.
The pictures belong to him. All I did was bring them back because they were lost in the forum software transition last year.

[4hondaowner]

Originally Posted by liquidfuel88

I think you win the award for "Dirtiest Cabin Air Filter!"

I agree.

And imagine how much his fuel economy was suffering due to dragging around the extra garbage in his CR-V.

[liquidfuel88]

Just changed my filter.



Ahh....fresh clean air.

[4hondaowner]

What are you doing changing your cabin air filter after midnight?

At least in Bar Harbor, I was breathing clean air. I replaced mine several weeks earlier.

[mandyfig]

Do you not use activated carbon filter? Looks too white.

[hopper]

Originally Posted by downloader

I just did it in 7 mins! Remove the glove box take the plastic trim off the right side un-do the 3 bolts on the right side, bend the metal bracket and change the filter. re-bend the bracket and re-install everything 7 mins.

yeah, but how does your glove box work now?
I tried this method yesterday, unfortunately, the bar bent right at one of the alignment holes for the right glovebox mount. I got the filter in OK in about 10 minutes, but spent the best part of the next hour removing the lower parts of the center console to get at those pesky bolts, to remove the bar and bend it back into shape with the help of my bench-vise and a hammer.

I have learned from my mistake, its worth it to take the time to do it right the first time. Stupid design though.

[NWF_Snake]

Thanks for the pics, write-up, and additional comments from all. It made changing my filter very easy. One comment to add is consider getting a new foam gasket to go around the frame. When I used my shop vac to clean my frame, the gasket pretty much desintegrated. 11 years and 140K miles will do that! The new gasket made everything snug and airtight again. I even sprayed a little Febreeze into the recirc duct while I was there, and the whole AC and heat system now smells fantastic!

[JungleJim]

I want to thank everyone who posted help.

I purchased a cabin filter about 5 years ago, but never changed it.

I took over driving the CRV this summer when my wife got a new vehicle. The lack of air flow with the AC pushed me to finally change it.....boy was the wife mad when air actually blew out of the vents again! "Why didn't you change it while I was still driving it?!!!" I guess I had a little more "push" when I was the one driving it with very little cool air blowing out ;-)

I'm too embarrassed to even post the picture of the thing....it was much worse than any of the pictures posted in this thread. I don't even see how any air got through it. It was the original cabin filter after 220,000 miles!

[4hondaowner]

220,000 is ample mileage.

I think most of us have a pretty good visual of what the filter looked like.